Again
by AliceJericho
Summary: It definitely wouldn't be the last time. You have to be willing to push through these things. Randy Orton/Maria - For Neurotic-Idealist


**a/n kind of an altered middle to this story... But I still like it. For **_**Neurotic-Idealist**_** who was review number 300 for Miztaken Identity! I hope you (and everyone else!) like it!

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The lack of light coming from the house made him aware that his fiancée was most likely sleeping. It was late and what he had expected. As silently as he could, the WWE superstar opened the front door to his large house and cringed when it creaked. He walked past the family room and made sure the television was turned off. It didn't look like anyone had been in their all day, though.

He sighed deeply as he walked through the house, a small frown on his handsome face. The hallway was lined with burnt out candles, only a few still alight. He blew them out as he walked past, leaving his suitcase at the end where he turned left.

The kitchen smelt of freshly cooked garlic bread, but the smell was lingering and almost gone.

"_Crap_." He muttered to himself as he opened the oven to take a quick look inside. Two plates of chicken lasagne were being kept warm. His large hand turned off the oven and he took the two plates from the oven, moving them to the fridge.

His heavy footsteps were slightly muffled by the soft carpet he walked on as he made his way to the dining room.

Long, pink candles graced the small table, as did cutlery and a single glass of red wine. It looked as though it has once been filmed close to the brim of the glass, but had since been emptied. Once again, he blew out the candles and let the moon light the average sized room.

He pushed through the door that led him into the sitting room and groaned when he saw his fiancée on the couch.

She was laying face down on the couch, her arms supporting her head. She hadn't taken the time to remove her shoes and had fallen asleep in, what looked like, an expensive dress.

In two strides, he crossed the room and sat on the edge of the white sofa, pushing her hair from the side of her delicate face. She groaned and moved slightly, but didn't wake.

He turned around and quickly, quietly and carefully began to take off her shoes. She stirred some more but was so deep in sleep that she was far from being woken.

"Maria," he said softly as he went to lift her up, she woke up though at the sound of his voice.

"You're late." He closed his eyes and felt her move so she was sitting up beside him, but she wasn't touching him.

"I know," he agreed and stretched his arm to rest it over her shoulders, but she moved away.

"Yesterday was Valentine's Day." She reminded him, "And I was willing to forgive you," she raised a hand to her mouth as she yawned loudly, "Because you were working."

"Ria..."

"No, Randy... You didn't even call to tell me that you were going to be late..." she trailed off and rubbed her eyes, pretending it was to rub sleep from her eyes, but it was really to fight the tears, "We got engaged and you stopped calling... Did you think that I'd _know_ when you were running late?"

"No, Ria... I didn't know I was going to be late." He looked at the clock on the wall and cringed, "Especially this late."

She pushed herself off the couch and stood in front of him warily, "I... I think you should sleep in the guest room, tonight." She whispered quietly.

"I was _late_, Maria, and you want to kick me out of our bed?" he asked in disbelief, hating that his voice was rising.

"You're always late." She mumbled, "I... I can handle the lateness. I just can't handle that you don't call. I can't handle that you come home and _think_ everything is going to be okay." He reached out for her small hand as she walked away, but he missed it by a fraction of a hair.

* * *

It was nearing two in the morning as Randy Orton set up the guest bedroom for his stay. Never had he thought that he would be spending the night down the hall from his future wife.

He could hear her moving around the master bedroom, noise tended to travel in their house. He longed to see her remove the tight, black dress she was wearing when he spotted her on the couch. He longed to see what she was wearing underneath. He longed to see what she was going to be wearing to bed.

He'd never had to 'long' before, he had always been there to see. As he sat on the edge of the smaller, guest bed, however, he hated himself for not bothering to give her a warning.

* * *

Maria Kanellis – soon-to-be Maria Orton – couldn't believe that she had forced the love her life to sleep in the guest bedroom. She had long told herself that only married couples did that when they'd been married for years and years. She had long told herself that she would never do that to her husband, it seemed petty.

She knew, though, why women did it. She knew why most houses had a guest bedroom or a foldout couch. It was easier, that way. It was easier to distance yourself and not give in to temptation.

She folded back the bed covers and snuggled under them as best she could. Maria wasn't one to be fickle, yet she regretted sending Randy away almost at once.

Sure, she had slept alone in a bed many times when he was away on the road. Though, when he was just down the hall from her it felt wrong.

* * *

He couldn't take it. He'd been staring at the ceiling for an hour and sleep was nowhere in sight. The bed was too small, for one. He was cold, for another. Maria wasn't beside him. That was the worst.

Putting his hurt ego aside, he threw back the bed covers and placed both feet firmly on the floor.

He tried to walk silently to the master bedroom, but he couldn't. He looked in and saw that Maria was awake too, staring straight at him.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered and he had to strain his ears to hear her.

He laughed that she was the one apologising when it was all his fault. She moved over, allowing him room on the bed and sighed happily when his strong, tattooed arms wrapped themselves around her small body.

'_I love you_'s weren't needed. Randy would probably be late again, it was actually inevitable. They'd get threw it though. That's just how life is.


End file.
